Great Yarmouth & Gorleston SC Beach Regatta

Great Yarmouth & Gorleston SC Beach Regatta © GYGSC

The good weather provided a lovely weekend for sailors at the Great Yarmouth & Gorleston SC Annual Beach Regatta held over the weekend of the 27th and 28th June. A very warm Saturday with mainly unbroken sunshine. Sunday was warm but a little more overcast.

This year attracted 49 entries with open events for the Phantom and Solution classes and a Beach Regatta fleet. With visitors from as far north as Manchester and as far south as the Solent, some had spent several hours travelling to join the event at Gorleston. It was great to see many boats from the local clubs, with members from Rollesby Broad SC, Snowflakes SC, Horning SC, Hickling Broad SC and Waveney & Oulton Broad YC attending.

Great Yarmouth & Gorleston SC Beach Regatta - photo © GYGSC

There was a mixture of 12 different classes ranging from the ILCA 4 to the Spitfire Catamaran. The ILCA 4, 6 & 7's made up the majority of the 26 Beach Regatta fleet with 14 entries.

The race team decided to have separate starts for each fleet with the Phantoms first off followed by the Solutions with the larger Beach Regatta fleet third. A large windward leeward course was set with a testing beat into the tide which ensured everyone would get a good night's sleep !

Sunny and steady Saturday

With the wind from the SE we enjoyed a steady F2 picking up to a F3 at the end of the day.

First off were the Phantoms with nine entries from five clubs. John Wayling, from Northampton proved quick upwind to stamp his authority on the event winning all three races on Saturday. In race one Alan Husk from Creeksea led the chasing pack ahead of Nick Thorp from Ardleigh. Race two saw another Creeksea member, Martin Warren heading the pack with Nick Thorp again in third. In the final race of the day the club's own Nick Favell led the pack just ahead of the ever consistent Nick Thorp. John was a clear overnight leader but just a three points separating the next four boats.

Great Yarmouth & Gorleston SC Beach Regatta - photo © GYGSC

Next off were the Solutions with fourteen entries from ten different clubs. Again one person dominated the racing with Class sail maker Ian Morgan, from Warsash winning all three races, although he was pressed hard by Jon Steward from Lee on the Solent in all three. Club member Paul Jarvey claimed third in the first two races and Richard Gibbon from Lee on the Solent third in race three. Ian was a clear overnight leader with Jon second and Paul third.

And last but not least with twenty six entries the Beach Regatta fleet. With three races and three different winners this was going to be a bit tighter. The Spitfire, Musto Skiff and RS400 headed the fleet but not always far enough ahead to save their time. The ILCA's enjoyed some very close racing with Dan Bull from Rollesby taking race one just ahead of Snowflakes Chris Bolton and Phil Alison from the home club in third in his new Zenith. Race two saw a Snowflakes one, two with Chris securing a win and Toby Pearce second. Abby Yorkston & Kyle Beamish from the home club in their RS400 taking third position.

Great Yarmouth & Gorleston SC Beach Regatta - photo © GYGSC

There was a little more wind for the final race of the day which suited the Spitfire who lapped the entire fleet to win by two minutes on corrected time. The ILCA's again were near the front with Snowflake sailors again taking the final two podium places with James Dugdale second and Toby third.

This time there was no clear overnight leader with everyone in the leading group scoring at least a seventh place apart from James who had a consistent 4,4,2 to top the scoreboard.

Shifty Sunday

The F3 wind was now from the SW and therefore offshore and very shifty with some big gusts.

In the Phantom fleet John continued his good form winning the next two races and with the event now won decided to head for shore early. The battle for second was still wide open and became a two horse race with Martin Warren beating Nick Favell in race four and Nick beating Martin in race five. With John now ashore the final race was open to the rest with Nick winning and Martin second.

Great Yarmouth & Gorleston SC Beach Regatta - photo © GYGSC

Overall, John had the luxury of counting five wins. It was a tie for second place on 13 points with Nick Favell securing second by winning the final race with Martin third.

In the Solutions Ian once again showing his class winning the next two races and hence the event (he must have a good sail !) and like John, headed back to shore. The trickier conditions suited James Jarvey as he took second place in race four ahead of Jon Steward. Race five saw these two at the front again this time Jon finishing ahead of James. With Ian back ashore race six was up from grabs. It was Ian Hearsum from the home club who led at the windward mark just ahead of Richard Gibbon. Ian held on to his lead to the line to secure the win with Richard second and Mike Gower from Hickling Broad third.

Once again the winner was able to count five races wins, Ian Morgan taking overall victory with Jon Steward a clear second. There was a tie for third place with Richard Gibbon and Paul Jarvey both on 19 points with Richard taking third after his second place in the final race and with it the honour of writing the class report.

Great Yarmouth & Gorleston SC Beach Regatta - photo © GYGSC

And finally the Beach Regatta fleet. Race four saw an ILCA lockout on the podium with Chris Bolton taking first and Dan Bull beating the ILCA4 of Nate Sparrow from the home club by one second for second place.

The windier conditions were suiting Nate as he secured the next two race wins. In race five, James Dugdale finished twenty seconds behind Nate to secure second with Team Ed in the Spitfire back on the podium in third.

With Richie not sailing the final race it left the door open for the others. Dan Bull led the ILCA's around the course taking second behind Nate on corrected time with Harry Weymss from the home club third making it another ILCA 1,2,3..

Overall winner was Dan Bull in an ILCA7. After a great second day Nate Sparrow moved up to second in his ILCA4 and James Dugdale third in his ILCA7.

Overall Results:

Beach Regatta Fleet

Phantom Fleet Results:

Solution Fleet Results: